Plus: Enter to Win a “Motivational Blaster” (And Learn About an Amazing Charity)

Hey there! Hi there! Ho there!

Another week has just flown by and we are now looking at new month around the corner—May. 2015 is now almost five months old which is almost half a year people—how is it going so far for you? I know that for me this winter was dragging out so long that at times my workouts and eating habits reflected a depressed frat boy. I would work myself really hard and then think I could eat pizza and ice cream with no reflection on my weight or skin (not true!)

However, recently I have been finding my mojo coming back reminding me that a healthy body indeed creates a happy mind and that I am the only person responsible for my own welfare. I have been making it a point to get a full night’s rest, eat better foods and checking off my “to-do” list each day. I have been my own Superhero. I tell myself ‘Margo, stop fooling around and get back to work” and it has been working!

Today I want to give back to the universe and send one of you lucky readers a “Motivational Blaster” from the Brooklyn Superhero Supply Co. What is that you ask? Well you need to check out the Vlog below to find out but I guarantee you will want one! (Sorry—but once again my contest is only open to the residents of the U.S. I love all of my Canadian readers and promise to come up something fun for you exclusively soon!)

First let’s get to my quick news & notes. It will be super quick I promise!

Brooklyn Fit Chick News & Notes/Vlog 111:

Book Vs Movie Podcast News: Margo Porras of Shes Nacho Mama’s Blog co-host the “Book Vs. Movie” podcast (which you can subscribe via iTunes at this link) and we just posted our Forrest Gump epsidoe and the embedded player to listen is below. Our next episode will be all things The Stepford Wives so be sure to check out our new website (www.bookversusmovie.com) “like” us on our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter @bookversusmovie.

Which “Book Vs Movie” episode would you like to see us create next? Let me know in the comments below!

Healthy “People” Food for Pets: I am lucky enough to be able to call myself an official Fit Bottomed Girl and this past week the popular health & fitness Blog focused on all things related to healthy pets. Being a huge supporter of furry creatures (and the proud cat momma to Sweet Sarah & Tennessee) it gave me the inspiration to write this feature The Healthiest “People” Food for Pets which includes my favorite photo of my girls.

Do you have pets? What is their favorite “people food?”

And Speaking of Fit Bottomed Girls… I am currently working on a feature for them about deep tissue massages and need experts. If you know anyone who can talk about what to expect from your first deep tissue massage—please send them my way! (brooklynfitchick @ gmail dot com)

“The Rock” is Technically Obese! I am NOT a fan of the BMI (Body-Mass Index) which seems to deem the most unlikely people as “obese” including Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson whose height & weight register him at 34.3 (out of 100) Even Vin Diesel “overweight” according to this methodology which is frankly, absurd. Yet it is used with incredible frequency in the media when trying to explain the obesity epidemic.

Do you trust the BMI method of measuring health & wellness? If not, how should it be measured?

Kids Musical Group Covers Crazy Train! Anyone who knows me that even more than a “fit chick” I am a total “rock chick.” Really loved this clip of the Louisville Leopard Percussionists who covered Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne. Did I mention they are kids in a non-profit after school program rocking their tails off?

New Vlog & Giveaway:

Now, speaking of amazing non-profits that help creative kids—I want to introduce you to 826NYC which is based in my neighborhood and inspired me to give away a rather unusual prize this week.

About 826NYC:

According to their website: “826NYC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting students ages 6-18 with their creative and expository writing skills, and to helping teachers inspire their students to write. Our services are structured around our belief that great leaps in learning can happen with one-on-one attention and that strong writing skills are fundamental to future success.”

There are several “826s” located across the country and as part of their fundraising they have a store in Park Slope (Brooklyn Superhero Supply, Co.) that sells “Superhero” gear. We are talking capes, masks, “vapor blasters,” “thunder inducers” and more (you can check them out online here!) which is convenient for me because so many of my friends and family members behave as if they are heroes so now I know where to get their Christmas gifts!

The cover star for May is none other than Tracy Anderson who runs her own studios in Los Angeles, New York City and the Hamptons along with her own soon-to-be video streaming service called Real Time with Tracy. The way it will work is each week Tracy will create a workout and offer notes for you to practice before your next session to gradually build your body into a Tracy Anderson-created lean sexy machine. A new workout will go up every Wednesday and the projected cost will be $80 per month.

I will let that sink in for a minute.

If you are not familiar with Tracy she is one of Gwyneth Paltrow’s favorite trainers and people pay BIG bucks to take her classes in person. I own a few of her DVDs and let me tell you—her leg routines are KILLER!

Tracy is the mom to two kids (Sam, 16 and Penelope 2) and is trying to project good, healthy habits to her family. She hates spinning (the movements are too repetitive) and thinks juice cleanses are a big waste of time.

You can see some of her workout here:

So what else is inside the May Health?

“9 Trainers you’ll Love on Instagram”

Health picked the best of the best to follow for advice and inspiration on Instagram.

“Is Your Tech Style Hurting You?”

With most of us leaning forward to look at our computer screens and mobile phones it is causing pain in the neck, back and shoulder region or is otherwise known as “text neck” in some circles.

Here we get advice on how to better read our tablets, phones and laptops that while not a perfect solution—will help alleviate painful symptoms from arising.

And now the rest of the best of this issue of Health:

“Your Breasts: A User’s Manual” It is predicted that the diagnosis of breast cancer will rise 50% by the year 2030 so now is a good a time as any to get to know yours better!

“You Could Save a Life… Even Your Own” With the warmer & sunny weather coming along (finally!) it means more exposure of the skin to the sun which means an increase in the possibility of skin cancer. (Yikes—more cancer talk!) Look at this feature to get an idea on what kinds of moles are okay and which to be on the lookout for over the next few months. (Really—you should get a checkup every year.)

I am back in the Vlogging business today—woo hoo! After a long, horrible winter I have finally taken the cobwebs out of my sun-deprived brain and am ready to get back to giving my readers the chance to win something fun. Like what, you say? How about a giveaway a six-month membership to AcaciaTV? Are you interested in hearing more? Then let me get through a quick news bulletin about the Book Vs Movie podcast and then I will tell you!

Brooklyn Fit Chick News & Notes/Vlog 110:

Book Vs Movie Podcast News: Margo Porras of Shes Nacho Mama’s Blog and I are having a ball working on our podcast “Book Vs. Movie” ( which you can subscribe via iTunes at this link) and we just finished one of our most popular episodes talking about The Outsiders which was a hoot. Our next scheduled episode will be Forrest Gump (will drop this weekend in a newly edited form) and then The Stepford Wives so be sure to check out our new website (bookversusmovie.com) “like” us on our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter @bookversusmovie. Let us know which books & films you would like us to cover!

Now on to this week’s Vlog and giveaway details which includes the “secret word” you must use in the comments in order to be considered to win.

(Note: AcaciaTV did not pay for this placement and they will work directly with the winner. Limited to the Continental U.S. only)

More Information about AcaciaTV:

ACACIATV MAKES WORKING OUT EASY & ACCESSBILE TO ALL…

Silver Spring, MD, March 15, 2015 – Quickly becoming a go-to destination and community for health-conscious consumers looking for convenient and effective ways to keep their exercise regimens fun and fresh, AcaciaTV, RLJ Entertainment’s proprietary digital fitness channel features diverse, user-friendly routines and community support where viewers can interact and connect with top trainers. There is also a members’ only, private Facebook community where trainers and subscribers post questions and offer support. (US.Acacia.TV)

The new fresh workouts from the diverse group of AcaciaTV trainers are filmed especially for this digital platform and offer specialized workouts for all fitness levels in a variety of disciplines so subscribers can pick and choose and mix and match to fit their needs. AcaciaTV workouts include yoga, strength training, dance, barre, Pilates, abs and core, pregnancy, low impact, therapeutic, cardio, tai chi and kettlebell, among many others. The channel is for all fitness levels, offering workouts from beginners through advanced.

The AcaciaTV trainers & motivators include:

Kristin McGee; (Yoga/Pilates) is a celebrity yoga and Pilates instructor in New York City. Kristin contributes to Health.com/Health magazine, has created several fitness videos, and has trained celebrities such as Tina Fey, Savannah Guthrie, Steve Martin, and Bethenny Frankel. kristinmcgee.com

Deazie Gibson (Strength Training/ CrossFit) is an international group fitness instructor and personal trainer, fitness model & flight attendant based in New York City & Chicago. Deazie is well known for applying her D3 Lifestyle (Drive, Discipline and Determination) in every aspect of her life. She is known for her effervescent personality and her athletic & creative approach to fitness. deazie.com

Gerren Liles (Interval/ Suspension/ Strength Training) is a popular Equinox instructor and ReebokONE ambassador. Based in NYC, he is one of the Top 20 Bootcamp/Strength instructors on RateYourBurn.com. Gerren has helped to launch several of Equinox’s signature programs, including ViPR and Shockwave. gerrenliles.com

Amanda Young (Cardio Bootcamp/ Dance/ HIIT) has been a group fitness instructor and social worker for over 15 years, known for integrating her unique background to create a vision of success for her students, both inside and outside the studio. She holds several fitness (ACE) and training certifications, teaches at Equinox, and consults for fitness companies such as Reebok, Shape Up NYC and Lululemon. http://ayoungwayoflife.com

Liz LeFrois (Stretch/ Pre-postnatal/ Kickboxing) is a certified tier 3 Equinox trainer. She has a BFA in dance that concentrates on exercise physiology. She is graduating from Brooklyn College this December 2015 with a masters in Kinesiology. Liz brings energy and excitement to her fitness classes and she is a form fanatic who believes that the more efficient and self-aware one is of their body, the more they benefit from exercise. www.lizlefrois.com

Alison Heilig (Fitness and Motivational Coach/ Blogger) is a fitness instructor and RRCA-certified running coach. She draws from experiences and lessons learned on her own journey from an unhealthy and inactive young adult to a now 70-pound lighter marathon runner and fitness enthusiast. Through its new Facebook community, Alison inspires Acacia TV members to establish goals, identify barriers to progress, develop and maintain focus, seek ways to enrich their lives and have fun getting in shape. http://thepursuitofawesome.com/

Kate Hanley (Author and Mind Body Coach/ Blogger) Kate Hanley helps busy women do the things that matter and stop stressing about the things that don’t. She does this as a coach, speaker, blogger and author (of The Anywhere, Anytime Chill Guide and the upcoming A Year of Daily Calm) and journalist. She is also a certified yoga teacher primarily for people who don’t do yoga. www.msmindbody.com

AcaciaTV is a subscription-based streaming service accessible at US.Acacia.TV, on Samsung Smart TVs, through Safari browsers on iPhones and iPads, and through its Roku channel. Members have complete access to more than 100 workouts in a diverse range of disciplines which they can stream anywhere and anytime. Each workout is approximately 20 minutes.

AcaciaTV General Manager Allison Rand notes, “Our diverse group of trainers and techniques keep your fitness routine interesting and effective but the real power is when you combine it with the support and encouragement from our private Facebook community of trainers, members and bloggers.” Rand continues, “We searched the country for fun and friendly trainers who can teach to every level — ensuring that our members feel good about where they are starting and where they are going.”

Consumers can easily try out the service with its 10-day free trial. After the trial, AcaciaTV offers three different subscription options: monthly access ($6.99), 90-Day Burn ($14.99) or yearly subscription ($49.99). There are no commercials or popup ads on Acacia TV.

How are you all doing today? It’s a brand new week and though I feel a wee bit short of my personal fitness goals (I may have slacked on my foam rolling a bit…) but this warmer & sunny weather has put an extra spring in my step. Doesn’t seeing the sun out nice and bright in the sky improve your outlook? It sure does mine and with that I am resolving to get back to foam rolling and stretching every night not only it makes me feel better but it also helps me perform better as a teacher.

So now that I am saying it OUT LOUD—it will have to get done! If it kills me I am going to increase my flexibility and strength. You are all my witnesses! Now that THAT is out of the way—let’s go through my weekly news & notes. (And for those 3 of you miss my Vlog—next week I promise to deliver with a cool, new giveaway. Pinky swear!)

Brooklyn Fit Chick News & Notes

Tips from the Pros on “Kettlebells for Beginners”

If there is one strength-building piece of equipment that really helps to build muscle while also providing an excellent cardio workout it’s the kettlebell. For Fit Bottomed Girls I wrote “Tips for Your First Kettlebell Class” so I would know how to use mine better when working out on my own.

Do you use kettlebells? What is your favorite advice for newbies?

Terry Bikes Spring Gear:

Some of you may know that I am a BIG FAN of Terry Bikes and somehow got the gumption last year to approach them as their first brand ambassador. Luckily they said yes so I get to try out their latest gear and let you know what you need to add to your next bike ride. In this post for them I picked my favorite spring items from their catalog. Enjoy!

BlogHer 15 Conference Set for NYC:

Have you heard the news? BlogHer will be back in NYC July 16-18 for their “Experts Among Us” BlogHer 15 Conference. I know I will be there but if you want more details check out this link to see who will be speaking there. (They always manage to get GREAT special guests at BlogHer events!)

BlogHer & SheKnows are also teaming up for a road show (I was invited to the Brooklyn event last week and had a blast!) If you live anywhere near the following markets—you should absolutely go (it’s free!)
April 24: Atlanta, Georgia – 5:00 p.m.
May 3: Chicago, Illinois – 5:00 p.m.
May 8: San Francisco, California – 6:00 p.m.
May 9: Boston, Massachusetts – 4:00 p.m.

I don’t know if you heard of this story but one of my favorite singers, P!nk, attended an event this past weekend looking totally beautiful. Well because we live in an internet age there has to be a body-shaming wave headed by mean-spirited trolls tried to make her life miserable. Well if you know anything about P!nk you know that she is non-nonsense and expertly handled all of the mean tweets thrown her way. Do you think we will EVER live in a world without trolls?

How I Learned to Love Eating:

I really loved this article from Tapgenes.com talking about recovery from eating disorders. Tapgenes.com interviewed two amazing women who talk about the toll it took on their bodies and how they have successfully deal with their individual disorders. This is a definite must-read!

Book Vs Movie Podcast:

Margo Porras of Shes Nacho Mama’s Blog and I talked about The Outsiders in our newest episode of our podcast “Book Vs. Movie” and had a fabulous time doing it. You can check us out in the player below and in case you are wondering what will be the subject of our next episode—get ready for us to dissect The Stepford Wives! Woot Woot!

That’s all I have for today—keep checking back for news, reviews and playlists aplenty! Thanks as always for dropping by!

(If you are reading this on a different site or a different feed than Brooklyn Fit Chick, it has been taken without permission.)

Anna Faris is the April cover star and I just adore how sweet and down-to-earth she comes across in interviews. Anna is the star of one of my favorite comedies—The House Bunny and the actress knows how to put a unique, quirky spin to her performances. She is currently starring in CBS TV’s Mom and is happy in her home life with (now buff) Chris Pratt and their young boy Jack.

Anna’s breakfast of choice is antelope sausage (her husband likes to hunt their own food) and she has a hard time with activities like yoga which require stillness and quiet (me too!) The couple hopes to move their family out of creepy paparazzi-ville Los Angeles one of these days and enjoy nature a bit more. (She is from Edmonds, Washington.)

So what else is inside the April Health?

“The Three Best Moves for Tight, Trim Abs”

Health asked trainer Joel Harper for his favorite abs workout to get your core strong and here they are! (I like the leg circles for sure!)

“4 Ultimate Booty Boosters”

Tracy Anderson (Goop’s favorite trainer) has a few moves that are a little tricky to figure out based on the description but I guarantee you WILL feel them the next day. Tracy recommends you do this particular series of leg moves six times per week along with 30-60 minutes of cardio to see full results so not a quick workout for sure. (I say if you can get something like this in twice a week you will still see a benefit.)

“Get a Balanced Body”

Big time trainer to the stars Gunner Peterson created this workout that will challenge your core by engaging multiple muscle groups in a proprioceptively challenging space.

And now the rest of the best of this issue of Health:

“Your Nose: A User’s Manual” My sinuses drive me crazy almost every single day. Like I blow my nose constantly and I still feel like I can’t breathe very well. Good advice here includes to NOT about the neti pot which I have certainly done in the past.

“Upgrade Your Sport Shoe” I am so ready to toss out all of my sneakers that have been ruined by this lousy winter weather. These pages gave me fun ideas to trade in for right now!

“Sugar Confusion, Cleared” As someone who tries to keep the ‘bad” sugars out her diet (and fails with the occasional Starburst) this article was a good read. .

How are you all doing today? I am writing this down on Easter Sunday and I am feeling all kinds of wonderful & anxious at the same time (which is pretty natural for me.) The fact that spring has FINALLY, you know, sprung is making me smile but I am also worried about some friends and family which I am trying to funnel in a healthy way by alternately upping the intensity of my workouts and also trying really hard with incorporating meditation into a daily practice. Do any of you meditate? Any advice for an anxious newbie like me who has a hard getting her thoughts to NOT swirl when under pressure. Thanks in advance! Now let’s get to the latest news & notes, shall we?

Brooklyn Fit Chick News & Notes

Tips from the Trainer Pros on “Exercises I No Longer Do & What I Do Instead”Tuesday mornings I teach a boot camp class which is designed more like an old-school calisthenics class rather than a whistle-blowing jerk yelling at people to do more push-ups kind of thing. One move in my arsenal was having my students bear crawl in one direction across the basketball court and then bear crawl back.

One day I was asked “what does the crab walk really DO anyway? It always makes me wrists & shoulders hurt.” I realized unlike a bear crawl which engages multiple muscle groups and mimics activities like leaving a cab or going up the steps at the subway—the crab walk while challenging to the core really has potential to cause more harm than good. It made me think what other moves other trainers I respect have “ditched” over the years which turned into an article I wrote for Fit Bottomed Girls.

So what exercises have YOU ditched over the years?

Terry Bikes Spring Gear: Last year I cold-called the women who run Terry Bikes and asked them if they ever needed a brand ambassador—well no further than with moi! I love their gear and am so happy to be able to share with you some of my most favorite items from their collection. Well today I want to talk about their Urban Hoodie which I have been wearing everywhere this past week as I was finally able to ditch my parka (off to the cleaners you filthy, annoying thing!). The hoodie fits snuggly in a fabric that whisks away moisture and keeps you warm. If you need something more than a jacket but less than, well—a parka the Terry Urban Hoodie is a delight. I took a picture of myself in it that you can see up top! (Love!)

BFF Songs—I Need Your Suggestions! For Fit Bottomed Girls I am putting together a list of songs that help people remind them of their best friends. Just between up—I am coming up dry with ideas! So if you have any suggestions for BFF Workout tunes please feel free to list below. Thank you in advance!

My Fave Podcasts: For me, the best way to unwind around the house is to listen to podcasts. It’s like hearing stories from super-witty people in my living room & kitchen while I dust, clean and feed the cats. So today I wanted to offer some of my personal faves (no mention of Serial because it is in hiatus right now but if you have not heard of it—download them right now!)

What You Can When You Can #wycwyc Fabulous fit bloggers Carla Birnberg and Roni Noone break down healthy living in such a fun, real way. You will feel like you are learning how to live your best “fit life” from two cool friends. What You Can When You Can means you can fit health & fitness into your life in easy, small nuggets. Love it!

I Was There Too: Host Matt Gourley talks to extras and characters who have been in big movies scenes to get their unique take on cultural touchstones such as the “baby stroller scene” in The Untouchables to the passengers on the bus in Speed. This show is filled with so much great information and Gourley in particular is such a warm, friendly interviewer that I want to hang out with him and talk movies all day (Matt—I have a crazy cat and my name is Margo!)

How Did this Get Made?Paul Scheer, Jason Mantzoukas and June Diane Raphael take on one movie each episode that is so bad it is too much fun NOT to make fun of. (Is that a sentence? Not sure—I am tried and keeping it in!) Anyhoo this last one was about Lake Placid which is an AWFUL film but I loved listening to the panel rip it apart in an entertaining fashion. If you are afraid of snark—go for this one. (Though you will be surprised which movies they secretly adore

Radiolab If you are a fan of both science and excellent story telling you need to check out Radiolab. Honestly I am such a big fan of this podcast that if I ever met either host Jad Abumrad or Robert Krulwich I would probably pass out! Check them out!

Hey Gang! Just in case you still have not heard the news but very soon Fitnesswill be digital-only so this will be one of the last times I will be reviewing it in print form. (Sad Panda alert!) I am most unhappy to see the magazine go away but very grateful that we will still get some excellent content them from them online.

Anyhoo—let’s talk about the April issue which is on newsstands now!

What Do We Learn This Month in Fitness?

“Built for Speed”

This looks like an excellent strength circuit from As One Fitness (the trainer is George Vafiades) designed to help with muscle imbalances. Perfect for runners & cyclists and it only takes 20 minutes!

“Ladies Who Crunch”

Did you know that working moms are less likely to workout during the day than working dads because of the primping time it takes after a sweat session? (I can totally relate to being worried about looking a hot mess afterwards.)

Here we get a super quick (5 minutes) circuit developed by Mike Strevel from DavidBartonGym Limelight where you try to do any many reps as possible or AMRAP.

“Trim in 20”

I am sensing a theme here—quick workouts are better than no workouts at all and this one from Brett Hoebel (The Biggest Loser Season 11) requires just a band to get your heart rate up.

“Soothe Moves”

If you suffer with tight hamstrings and a general lack of flexibility (meekly raising my hand here) these “four essential stretches for runners” from yoga instructor Tiffany Cruikshank should be added to your stretching repertoire.

And now the rest of this issue of Fitness:

“Time Flies” I have had the same Polar watch for years now and think it’s time to trade it in for something jazzier. Fitness offers quite a few suggestions here that give me the “I wants.”

“Run Stronger Run Longer” Spring has sprung which means it is time to get some new running shoes and there are tons of great options featured here.